* German leader calls pope about Holocaust denier The German chancellor called the pope Sunday, days after she demanded he clarify the Vatican's stance on the Holocaust after it lifted the excommunication of a bishop who denies six million Jews were killed.

* Islam group urges forest fire jihad AUSTRALIA has been singled out as a target for "forest jihad" by a group of Islamic extremists urging Muslims to deliberately light bushfires as a weapon of terror.

* Palestinian poll: Hamas support drops A Palestinian poll conducted after Operation Cast Lead has found that 56% of residents in the Gaza Strip and 48.3% of Palestinians in the West Bank and east Jerusalem believe Hamas is leading them in the wrong direction.